Elgin City 1 Forfar Athletic 1

The Loons headed north on Saturday up to Elgin for what was their 5th and should be final meeting of the 23/24 season having played Elgin 3 times in the league already and once in the SPFL Trophy. The previous league games resulted in a win apiece and a goalless draw so the season's League bragging rights were still available come the end of the ninety minutes at Borough Briggs. With both teams level on 35 points, the Loons occupying 6th spot and Elgin 7th in the league table due to Forfar's superior goal difference, the game gave the opportunity to either team to close the gap on East Fife who sit one place above them in 5th.

It was a fairly cagey start from both teams with Elgin choosing to play with the wind advantage in the first half. Neither team created a real goal scoring opportunity due to the midfield tussle in the opening 20minutes Elgin had a couple of half chances but nothing to trouble Marc McCallum as the defence stood strong. However on 25 minutes Elgin opened the scoring with a beautiful strike from Lyall Booth. The Loons conceded a corner and although the delivery was initially cleared out of the box it landed at Booth who took one touch and unleashed a shot through a crowded penalty box and passed an unsighted McCallum to put the home team 1-0 up.

The visitors needed to dig in to find a way back into the game and they certainly were rewarded only 6 minutes later. A crossfield ball was played upto Rayan Mohammed out wide who controlled it, turned and played in Thomson on the overlapping run. Thommo running at pace is difficult for any defender but he cut inside and glided past two defenders and as he reached the centre of the penalty box he unleashed a left foot strike in the bottom left of the goal leaving Elgin keeper McHale no chance. This sent the visiting supporters crazy and it was no more than the Loons deserved to be level again.

Finn Robson had a chance to put the visitors in front only 3 minutes later but McHale was alert and saved centre of his goal. In the closing stages of the first half a shot from Dangana for Elgin didnt trouble McCallum who watched it go wide with the referee bringing the first half to an end. Halftime1-1

Second half resumed with nothing between the teams and neither creating many clear chances. Seb Ross had an opportunity after some of the best link up play of the day on 59 minutes. Good work in midfield between Stuart Morrison, Finn Robson and Mark Whately put Ross through on goal but his well struck shot was agonisingly wide. Morrison who had battled all afternoon in midfield had an opportunity after dispossessing Elgin in the middle of the park but his shot was wide of the mark - it just wasn't happening for the loons despite their efforts.

Ray McKinnon rung the changes with Finlay Allan and Daniel Scally replacing Ross and Thomson on 71 minutes before replacing Whatley and Mohammed with Russell McLean and Josh Skelly on 75 minutes making the gaffers intentions clear. Scally came close on 80minutes with a right footed shot but couldn't beat the keeper.

Elgin's best chance in the second half came after loose play from Allan out wide allowing the home midfield to move the ball quickly upto Jones whose low shot rebounded off the post having beaten McCallum but Dangana couldnt follow up to take advantage of the opportunity as the Loons defence regrouped.

The game fizzled out a draw which keeps the unbeaten run going but it was an opportunity missed for Ray McKinnon's men to close the gap on 5th place with yet another draw, their 15th of the season.

Fulltime 1-1

The Loons boss commented after the game "It was a good point at a difficult venue, the windy conditions spoiling the game at times but that was for both sides so we will take a point and look forward to next Saturday"

A big thank you to the many travelling supporters who made the trip north.

Hope to see you all at The Spartans next Saturday when the Loons head south to Ainslie Park Edinburgh. As always full match details will be posted in the lead up to the game.